Age no factor: Hopkins

NEW YORK – Former middleweight champion Bernard Hopkins said he is a golden oldie and would prove it in the ring Saturday when he takes on undefeated fellow-American title holder Kelly Pavlik.

Hopkins, 43, described himself as a throwback fighter as he sized up his chances against big-hitting Pavlik, who is 34-0 with 30 stoppages, in their 170-pound, non-title catchweight bout in Atlantic City. “The Philly throwback fighter, he watches a lot of fights, he rolls when he gets hit, stays in the pocket, knows all the tricks,” a trim Hopkins told reporters on Tuesday before taking the dais at a news conference to promote the bout.”They’ve been writing that about me for a decade.”The Philadelphia native said his lifestyle, combined with modern day nutrition, kept him fit and youthful.”It’s an investment I put in myself 20 years ago to be here at this table fighting for millions at this stage,” he said, adding he was in select company to be thriving at his age.”There’s only two or three athletes in sport history (NFL quarterback) Brett Favre is one, myself is another and (cyclist) Lance Armstrong just came back.”Hopkins, whose 48-5-1 mark includes 20 successful defences of that middleweight crown, likened himself to old timers such as George Foreman, Jersey Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles, Sugar Ray Robinson and Archie Moore but with certain advantages.”Things are different now.Only the elite few have taken a page, and I’m one, out of that throwback era.”We have all the stuff that they didn’t have back then.The fighters were not taking vitamins, they was drinking blood.These guys were eating raw eggs that would give you clogged arteries.They wouldn’t tell me to eat a raw egg today.”These guys were doing all the opposite of what was healthy.Now that I’ve got all these perks from the last 30, 40 years, am I really old by a number?” he said about his age.Nampa-Reuters”The Philly throwback fighter, he watches a lot of fights, he rolls when he gets hit, stays in the pocket, knows all the tricks,” a trim Hopkins told reporters on Tuesday before taking the dais at a news conference to promote the bout.”They’ve been writing that about me for a decade.”The Philadelphia native said his lifestyle, combined with modern day nutrition, kept him fit and youthful.”It’s an investment I put in myself 20 years ago to be here at this table fighting for millions at this stage,” he said, adding he was in select company to be thriving at his age.”There’s only two or three athletes in sport history (NFL quarterback) Brett Favre is one, myself is another and (cyclist) Lance Armstrong just came back.”Hopkins, whose 48-5-1 mark includes 20 successful defences of that middleweight crown, likened himself to old timers such as George Foreman, Jersey Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles, Sugar Ray Robinson and Archie Moore but with certain advantages.”Things are different now.Only the elite few have taken a page, and I’m one, out of that throwback era.”We have all the stuff that they didn’t have back then.The fighters were not taking vitamins, they was drinking blood.These guys were eating raw eggs that would give you clogged arteries.They wouldn’t tell me to eat a raw egg today.”These guys were doing all the opposite of what was healthy.Now that I’ve got all these perks from the last 30, 40 years, am I really old by a number?” he said about his age.Nampa-Reuters